Police say there has been an increase in the theft of catalytic converters from cars and vans in recent weeks.

Community officer, Jo Wakelen, has issued a warning to local residents to keep an eye out for people acting suspiciously around their vehicles.

Converters, introduced in recent years to reduce the toxicity of vehicle emissions, contain a number of precious metals which can bring a high price when sold on to dealers.

The average catalytic converter contains one to two grams of platinum, palladium, and rhodium. The international prices of these metals have risen by 67%, 200%, and 600% respectively over the last two years.

If you see anything suspicious happening around your vehicle you will need to move quickly. Apparently, it only takes a few minutes to remove a catalytic converter. You should also contact the local police on 01707-638112